Suction cleaner



April 3, 1934.

H. R. BALLOU SUCTI 0N CLEANER Filed Sept. 22, 1950 mxmnnlll Patented pr., 3, 1934 SUC'HON CLEANER poration of @hic Application September 22, i930, Serial No. 483,469

Claims.

This invention relates to portable electrically driven devices, and more particularly to electriccord take-up devices to take up the slack in and house the electric cord or cable which conveys 5 current to a portable tool such as a suction cleaner, or similar device. The cord usually employed with structures of this type is a round cable formed by embedding two ilexible multistrand metallic cables in rubber, the cord as a whole being quite flexible but liable, on account of its thickness, to be damaged by being bent about too small a radius.

One of the objects of the4 invention is toprovide an ellicient reel, for automatically taking up the slack in the conductor cord of a device of this type, which can be economically manufactured. A further object is to provide a reel for this purpose which will eilectively house and protect the cord from dust and air currents when the device is not in use. A still further object is to provide a reel for this purpose which will reduce to a minimum the dangers of sharp bends in the cord and the tendency to form permanent coils in the cord. Still further objects are to provide a structure for this purpose which can be readily assembled upon a round handle, which `will not interfere with the operation of the device as a Whole, and which will not materially detract from the appearanceof the machine as a whole. Still further objects will be apparent from the following description of the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:- i

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a suction cleaner including an embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 2 is a view in central longitudinal section of a portion of the handle of the suction cleaner shown in Fig. 1 and of the cord reel structure mounted thereon; and

Fig. 3 is a view in cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

As shown the suction cleaner comprises a casing 1l, mounted on wheels 12, and having thereon an electric motor 13, and a dust filtering bag 14. A round tubular handle 15 is provided with a bail 16 at its lower end which is pivoted to the` casing 11, for' manipulation of the cleaner over the oor, and a switch 17 is conveniently located near] the upper end of the handle for controlling the operation of the motor. A flexible duplex conducting cord 18 is provided for supplying current to the motor from an outlet, such cord being preferably long enough to reach any point in the room, and the present invention is concerned primarily with a spring-operated reel for automatically taking up the slack in the cord so that it will not be in the way of the cleaner as it is moved about over the floor.

In the embodiment shown, a reel 19, of sheet metal, is provided with a helical groove 20 to receive the cord, and has reduced tubular end portions 21, which are rotatably mounted upon a tube 22 by means of suitable bearing bushings 23. A coil spring 24 surrounds the tube 22 within the reel 19, being suitably secured at one end as shown at 25 to the tube 22, and suitably secured at its other end to the reel 19, so that it tends to rotate the reel in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the upper end of the reel.

The cord reel 19 is enclosed in a casing 26, which is circular in cross section except for a. flatsided lateral projection 2'7, as shown in Fig. 3, the casing having a reduced end 28 which fits upon and is secured by rivets, or in some other suitable manner, to the tube 22. A cap 29 fits upon the upper end of the casing and is secured thereto by being snapped thereon, as shown at 30, or by other suitable means, the cap enclosing the upper bearing and fitting singly upon the tube 22.

A follower 31 is mounted upon the grooved outer surface of the cord reel 19 and is provided with a helical projection in threaded engagement with the cord-receiving surface of the reel. As shown in Fig. 3, the follower 3l, has a portion 32 which engages in the lateral projection 27 of the casing, and thereby holds the follower from rotation but which can slide longitudinally of the casing. A grooved wheel 33 is mounted on a pin 34 carried by the follower 31, so as to move longitudinally with the follower Within the lateral projection 27 of the casing, and facilitate the coiling of the cord upon or the uncoiling of the cord from the reel, and prevent short bends or kinking of the cord. The cap 29 is provided with an opening 35 through which the cord may pass tangentially to the Wheel 33, and the cap is preferably formed with an outwardly aring projection 36 about said opening, the inner surface of such projection being rounded at 37 to prevent any sharp bending of the cord.

A ring 38, of insulating material, is mounted upon the lower tubular end portion, 21, being held in place by tabs 39 turned up from such tubular end portion, or in some other suitable manner, and collector rings 40 and 41 are suitably mounted upon such ring of insulating material, and connected to the wires 42 and 43, respectively, of the cord 18. Contact brushes 44 and 45 are lll) xedly mounted in the lower end of the casing l 26 for engagement with the collector rings 40 and 41, respectively, and to these brushes 44 and 45 are connected Wires 46 and 47 which run to the motor and to the switch 17, respectively, the other side of the switch being connected to the other terminal of the motor by a wire 48. Suitable tubular insulating members 49 are preferably provided in openings 50 in the handle 15 and in the tube 22 through which the Wires 46 and 47 pass.

As shown, the brushes 44 and 45 are in the form of leaf springs, formed of spring brass, or similar material and secured by rivets 51 of similar means, to a ring 52 of insulating material, and another ring 53 of insulating material surrounds the ring 52 and is suitably secured to it, the outer ring 53 being held from rotation in the casing 26 in any manner desired. The rings 52 and 53 may be effectively held from displacement by forming them with corresponding corrugations or crimps and providing similar corrugations in that portion of the end of the casing 26 into which they fit.

It will be evident that the construction is such that it may be'readily mounted upon the tubular handle 15, that it comprises comparatively few parts, and that it can be economically manufactured. The weight of the structure and the cord is supported almost entirely by the wheels of the cleaner, rather than by the operator, and the cord leading upwardly and rearwardly from the card reel casing may be readily guided and controlled by the hand of the operator.

It will be understood that the structure shown and described is but one embodiment of the invention, and that various changes may be made in the details of construction Within the scope of the invention which is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with an electrically-operated portable device having a handle, of a current supplying cord, and an automatic take-up device for said cord, comprising a casing surrounding said handle and held from rotation relative thereto, a reel rotatably mounted within said casing, spring means for rotating said reel in one direction, said reel having a helical groove in its outer surface, and means for guiding said cord to and from said groove, said reel having contacts thereon to which the wires of said cord are electrically connected, and contacts xedly carried by said casing cooperating with said reel contacts.

2. The combination with an electrically operated portable device having a handle, of a current-supplying cord, a reel for receiving said cord, said reel surrounding and rotatable relative to said handle, a substantially cylindrical casing for said reel fixed to said handle and having an opening in its end through which said cord passes, and a member mounted for movement endwise of said casing and having a pulley mounted thereon for guiding said cord to and from said reel.

3. The combination with an electrically-operated portable device having a handle, of a currentsupplying cord therefor, and an automatic takeup device for said cord, comprising a reel having a helical groove thereon, said reel surrounding said handle, spring means for rotating said reel in one direction to wind said cord thereon, a substantially cylindrical casing held from rotation on said handle and enclosing said reel, said casing having a cord receiving opening in its end and a follower in threaded engagement with said reel and having means thereon for guiding said cord.

4. The combination with an electrically-operated portable device having a handle, of a current-supplying cord, and an automatic take-up device for said cord, comprising a reel surrounding and rotatably carried by said handle and having a helical groove therein, a casing enclosing said reel, and held against rotation relative to said handle, and a guiding member in threaded engagement with said reel and having a wheel thereon mounted on an axis transverse to the axis of said reel for guiding said cord to and from the groove on said reel, said guiding member and said casing having parts cooperating to prevent rotation of said member in said casing.

5. The combination with an electrically-operated portable device having a handle, of a current-supplying cord, and an automatic take-up device for said cord', comprising a reel rotatably mounted on and surrounding said handle, a spring for rotating said reel in one direction, a substantially cylindrical casing surrounding said reel and having an opening in its end to receive that portion of the cord which extends parallel to said handle, said casing being secured to and 'held from rotation relative to said handle, and

means Within said casing and movable lengthwise of said reel for guiding said cord to and from said reel.

HARRY R. BALLOU. 

